It is known that fiber optic cables are used for high-speed communication and data transmission and “piping” or carrying light from a light source. It is also known that these fiber optic cables are typically connected with fiber optic connectors, which may be easily coupled and uncoupled. As used herein, the term “connector” means an article that allows connection, disconnection and reconnection of a fiber optic cable to a light source, as opposed to a permanent connection between the cable and light source. As used herein, the term “light source” may be another fiber optic cable or a light source such as an arc discharge lamp, laser, light emitting diode (LED), filament bulb, etc.
Fiber optic cables are commonly used for the transfer of data within large buildings and between adjacent buildings. In a building complex having extensive telecommunications and data transfer requirements many fiber optic cables will be laid. Initially, the cables are laid in cable ducts, in roof voids, below suspended floors, etc. by a cabling contractor. That same contractor, or another contractor will subsequently terminate the cables to provide the necessary input and output connections.
Many of the fiber optic cables used are wholly non-metallic and typically comprise a glass fiber core surrounded by a plastic sheath. With such cables, unless care is taken in marking the cables at the time of installation it can be difficult for the contractor effecting termination of the cables to identify which of a bundle of cables at one location corresponds to a particular cable at another location, for example in a different building or several floors removed in the same building. Conventional techniques for tracing metal cables cannot be used with fiber optic cables because they do not include any metal member to which a tracing signal can be applied.